


“Who’s slow now?”

by Anonymous



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Gen, M/M, another self indulgent pining fic bc why not
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-12-04
Updated: 2018-12-04
Packaged: 2019-09-07 06:07:56
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,161
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16848595
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/
Summary: “Baekhyun,” Chanyeols melodic voice calls out for him and Baekhyun forgets how to speak.





	“Who’s slow now?”

“Kyungsoo, we don’t have to do this.”  Baekhyun stops to adjust the heavy books in his hands and takes fast paced steps to catch up with Kyungsoo.

“I think we do,” Kyungsoo pushes open the glass door of the Student Center and leaves it open for Baekhyung. Baekhyun mumbles out a thank you while readjusting the books.

“No, we don’t. If you would just let me tutor you-“

“Baekhyun,” Kyungsoo gives him a look dripping with sincerity, “I value our friendship greatly, but I don’t think I can stand another two hours of you yelling at me.”

“That’s not my fault! What kind of a second year accounting major doesn’t know the difference between amortization and depreciation.”

Kyungsoo shamelessly ignores Baekhyuns comment, proceeds to walk towards the reception.

“Hello, where can I sign up for a tutor?” Kyungsoo flashes the receptionist a dazzling smile. Baekhyun carefully places his books on the counter and moves them to the side. The receptionist lifts his gaze from his phone and passes both of them a rather unimpressed look. Baekhyuns eyes land on his name tag “ ** _Lay”_**.  He lets out a chuckle.

Lay bitterly gets up from his seat and comes back a second later with papers in his hand.

“Here are the forms, fill out your details and we’ll get back to you right way.” Lay says in a monotonous tone.

Kyungsoo gratefully takes the forms from the counter and hands one to Baekhyun who in return passes him a look full of offense, he turns to the receptionist “We only need one-“

“Lift your books off the counter please this isn’t an open space.” Lay says, with a hint of disapproval in his voice.

Baekhyun feels heat rush to his face, he immediately picks up his books and makes his way to the sofa Kyungsoo is sitting on. He places his books on the clear coffee table. He looks at Kyungsoo, who is using his leg to support the paper instead of the table right in front of them.

“Kyungsoo,” Baekhyun whispers, “We can still back out, it’s not too late.” Baekhyun steals a quick glance of the receptionist just to make sure he’s not looking in their direction. Baekhyun lets out a little sigh of relief when he finds Lay’s eyes glued to his phone.

Baekhyun looks at Kyungsoo, who is rapidly filling out the form.

“Dude,” Baekhyun calls for him.

“I’m doing this no matter what, you can fill out the form too if you like,” Kyungsoo says nonchalantly.

Baekhyun is flabbergasted; he looks at Kyungsoo with wide eyes and an open mouth. “Excuse me, I have been able to maintain a ninety five percent average in all my major accounting courses this semester.”

“Really?” Kyungsoo turns to him sarcasm obvious in his voice, “This is the first time I’ve heard about this.”

“Oh shut up-“

“Excuse me, this isn’t a library but could you keep it down.”  Lay half yells at them.

Baekhyun turns his gaze to the form in his hand while Kyungsoo bows out an apology. Baekhyun places the form next to his books. Baekhyun watches Kyungsoo get up to hand his form while impatiently tapping his feet against the floor.

A sudden gust of wind makes Baekhyun turn his head toward the entrance door, it’s PCY, also known as Park Chanyeol but Baekhyun knows him better as the man of his dreams, his one and only. A perfect match to every exaggerated male protagonist in rom coms. He blinks several times to convince himself that this is real. That he is actually breathing the same air as Chanyeol. Baekhyuns eyes follow Chanyeol to the reception counter, he watches his dream hunk bless Lay with a gracious smile. Baekhyun makes a motion to get up but settles down again when he hears Chanyeol speak. 

“Well,” Chanyeol hands Lay a few papers covered with ink, “I’m done with one of my students so my schedule has opened up. Let me know if you need me.” 

 

“That’s great.” Baekhyun thinks Lays dull tone matches with his expressions like his oversized grey hoodie with his red pants. “Do you have anything in mind?” Lay quirks his brow at Chanyeol.

 

Chanyeol let’s out series of hums and Baekhyun finds it hard to maintain a posture that’s deemed appropriate in public places. 

 

“Economics is really frying my brain out, so not that.” Chanyeol gives lay a pointed look. “I miss practical stuff so if you have anyone in accounting hand them over to me.” 

 

Baekhyuns ears perk up at that, he drops to his knees, with the support of the coffee table, he fills out the form faster than the speed of light. While trying to eliminate his current dilemma Baekhyun is granted another one, when he hears Lay mention that Kyungsoo is an accounting major. Before either can get a word of pleasantries out, Baekhyun takes up the space between Chanyeol and Kyungsoo with an odd posture and huffed breaths, he places his form on the counter. 

 

“I’m done.” Baekhyun says, way too enthusiastically. His rather happy tone is met with two scowls and a confused smile. Baekhyun looks at Lay expectantly who murmurs a low, “Give me a minute” before looking away. He looks at Kyungsoo, who has a question glaring through his eyes “Could you be more obvious?” Baekhyun in response gives him a loopy smile. 

 

Baekhyun makes the brave move of turning to his left and looking at Chanyeol. Who is conveniently enough not looking at Baekhyun but his form, which gives Baekhyun a few extra seconds to bask in Chanyeol’s ethereal beauty. 

 

Chanyeol looks up, he’s wearing the same smile he was a few seconds ago Baekhyun swears he feels his heart heave to his stomach. 

 

“Hey,” Chanyeol says.

 

“Hi,” Baekhyun mentally reprimands himself for sounding so breathless. 

 

“I see you’re an accounting major too.” 

 

“Too?” Baekhyun scrunches his face in confusion. 

 

“Kyungsoo is an accounting major as well.” Chanyeol tilts his head in Kyungsoo’s direction. 

Baekhyun follows his tilt and looks at Kyungsoo who is tapping his fingers against the glass counter.

 

“Oh yeah I know,” Baekhyun swings his arm over Kyungsoos shoulder and pulls him closer, “we’re friends.” 

 

“Unfortunately.” Kyungsoo tries to push Baekhyuns arm off his shoulder but Baekhyun only tightens his grip.

 

Chanyeol lets out a small chuckle, “Well,” Chanyeol clears his throat, “I better get going, see you two around.”

 

Baekhyun follows Chanyeol’s footsteps till he exists the Student Center and is out of sight.

 

“You should really work on being subtle.”  


Lays voice brings him back to a Chanyeol-less reality Baekhyun doesn’t want to be in.  


He rests his head on the glass counter, “Who says I was even trying?”

 

Baekhyun hears both, Lay and Kyungsoo, snort at the same time. Lay stares at Baekhyuns pathetic state for a minute before he speaks up.

 

“Here,” Lay practically forces a few papers in their hands and turns away, “I don’t want to hear a word, just get out.”

 

Baekhyun knits his brows in confusion, his gaze drops to the paper in his hand he quickly scans it,  his eyes land on something that replaces all the bones in his body with cold air. He looks at Lay with exhilaration painted all over his face. The other takes one look at him and looks away, muttering a low _get out now_.

 

When they exit the student center, they’re greeted with fresh afternoon sun rays and humid air. Baekhyun still has a firm but careful grip on the paper Lay handed to them less than a minute ago.

 

“Put that away before it gets ruined,” Kyungsoo snarls at him before covering his face with his hand.

 

Kyungsoo throws another glance at Baekhyun, a thought hits him. The sun couldn’t possibly compete with the glow on his face.

******

 

“This is useless,” Baekhyun drops his head between haphazardly placed study notes.  Kyungsoo looks up from his text book, a small smile blossoms on his face.  He tilts his head.

 

“Giving up this easily Baekhyunie.”

 

Baekhyun doesn’t have to look up to know that Kyungsoo is smirking, he can already feel it. It was just like the older man to make the most out of his predicaments. Baekhyun lifts his head from the wooden table and passes Kyungsoo a look brimming with absolute wrath. If they weren’t in public Baekhyun would’ve emptied out his current emotional turmoil on Kyungsoo through carefully structured and humorous taunts, and also if they didn’t have company.

 

Conveniently enough the second Baekhyun is about to spit something at Kyungsoo, Jongin comes back to their table balancing the weight of three heavily caffeinated drinks. He places one in front of Baekhyun, who in response mutters out a thank you. Jongin, when settled comfortably, breaths in the atmosphere and passes both of them a questioning look. Jongin places his hand in front of Baekhyun, who mimics his questioning look.

 

“What?” Baekhyun stares at Jongin.

 

“Pay up.” Jongin rubs his thumb with his index finger.

 

“I don’t have any money.” Baekhyun says matter of factly.

 

“Aren’t you on a basketball scholarship?” Kyungsoo says with a frown.

 

“What does that have to do with this particular occasion?” Baekhyun says exasperatedly. 

 

“Doesn’t that explain why you’re broke?” Jongin questions.

 

 _No, it doesn’t._ Baekhyun thinks but doesn’t voice it, not wanting to spend a cent of his weekly savings.

 

“Sure, it does.” Baekhyun says.

 

“So, did I miss anything?” Jongin looks at Kyungsoo.

 

“Nothing really, Baekhyuns just stuck in another predicament.”

 

Baekhyun’s mouth drops open in utter shock, he blinks several times before yelling out a response.

 

“Speak for yourself.” Baekhyun tilts his head in Jongins direction. Kyungsoo, suddenly hyperaware of his surroundings, kicks Baekhyun in the shin under the table while passing him a wide eyed glare. Baekhyun holds on to his stubbornness for about five more seconds before he lets go. 

 

Jongin and Kyungsoo’s entire relationship is a mystery that Baekhyun can’t decipher. All Baekhyun knows is that about 6 months ago when Kyungsoo and he were first years, some sleazy frat boy had, on account of their looks, invited them to a frat party. In the name of freshman spirit both of them had gone. Baekhyun’s recollection of that particular party is vague. He remembers Kyungsoo getting drunk off his ass, he remembers Chanyeol giving him a ‘friendly’ pat on the back and handing him orange juice to drink. What he remembers vividly, is finding his best friend giving The Kim Jongin a lap dance. Baekhyun’s sober ass had watched Kyungsoo make a fool out of himself for thirty more minutes before he had dragged a shirtless Kyungsoo out of the party.

 

Kyungsoo, albeit drunk off his ass, still remembers everything but Jongin surprisingly doesn’t. Kyungsoos luck had granted him Jongin as his tutor. Over the past month, they’ve fallen into a peaceful routine of meeting three times a week, twice outside of university which, regardless of what Kyungsoo says, are dates. Both of them couldn’t be obvious enough. He has never seen Kyungsoo act this shy around anyone, he has also never seen Jongin, who is infamous for being a drill sergeant, act this gentle. Every time Kyungsoo messes up an entry Jongin explains it to him again with practiced ease.

 

To prove his point and to pull both of them out of denial, Baekhyuns tests out an experiment. Jongin is explaining the difference between repurchase of the bond before and on the date of maturity to Kyungsoo for the third time. When a look of understanding dawns upon Kyungsoos face Baekhyuns speaks up.

 

 

“You know Kyungsoo,” Kyungsoo looks at Baekhyun, “for a university student you’re very dumb.”

 

Kyungsoo is about to say something defensive but Jongin does it for him.

 

“Hey,” Jongin says a little too loudly, “he’s not dumb, accounting is really complex and hard to understand. Some people just take a little longer to understand than others, you shouldn’t shame him for that. He’s incredibly smart it just takes him a second longer to process in concepts.”

 

Baekhyun’s back makes contact with the back of his chair, he carefully picks up his drink from the table and casually sips it while passing Jongin and Kyungsoo a knowing look. Jongin looks at Kyungsoo whose face is currently the shade of a red zinnia. Kyungsoos gaze flicks between his textbook and Jongin.

 

Kyungsoo is the one who breaks the silence, “I’m free on Saturday mornings.”

 

It comes out really quite but Baekhyun notices the sudden change in Jongins demeanor, Jongin turns to Kyungsoo with a smile as bright as an LED blub, “Breakfast has always been my favorite meal of the day.”

 

A smile similar to Jongins spreads across Kyungsoos face.

 

Baekhyun wonders if the universe will ever be kind enough to let him share a moment like this, filled with nothing but pure affection, with Chanyeol.

 

Kyungsoo turns to look at Baekhyun a second later.

 

“Who’s slow now?”

 

******

 

Baekhyun has never been the one to care for menial things but everything as of lately has been getting to him. He’s currently sitting in the business department’s meeting room, with Chanyeol sitting on the other side of the table. Chanyeol is explaining the difference between cost accounting and cost management, which Baekhyun already knows. Instead of paying attention to Chanyeol’s words he pays attention to the movement of his lips, Baekhyun’s heart flutters a little every time Chanyeol presses his lips together before saying management.

 

For the past month and a half, Baekhyun has spent five hours a week in Chanyeol presence but still hasn’t done enough to get Chanyeol’s attention outside of their study sessions. Unlike Jongin, Chanyeol insists on meeting on campus grounds only which saddens Baekhyun. Apart from that, Baekhyun would actually like to spend those five hours doing something productive. Like reading ahead for his classes or making out with Chanyeol while a rom-com plays in the background.

 

Today is supposedly their last lesson. Supposedly because Baekhyun doesn’t how much longer he can breathe the same air as Chanyeol and not combust with fondness for the man. And also because he can’t decide between keeping up the dumb act and being his real self to attract Chanyeols attention. One of them has a higher chance of working than the other but Baekhyun doesn’t know which.

 

“Baekhyun,” Chanyeols melodic voice calls out for him and Baekhyun forgets how to speak.

 

Baekhyuns eyes zoom out from Chanyeols lips and focus on his entire face, he blinks several times in confusion. Chanyeol slumps his shoulder and sighs.

 

“Are you even paying attention?” Chanyeol quirks a brow at him. In Baekhyun’s opinion it’s an adorable attempt to look skeptic.

 

Baekhyun nods.

 

“Really?” Chanyeol sighs in disbelief, “okay, then solve this,” He places a paper in front of Baekhyun. “Question two, part b.”

 

Baekhyun takes a look at the paper then looks at Chanyeol, it’s from the mock exam he gave over a month ago, Baekhyun had scored a perfect A without using a calculator for most of the exam.

 

“Calculate the return on investment of-“

 

“It’s three percent.” Baekhyun says.

 

Baekhyun feels Chanyeol’s entire being freeze, he looks up and he’s right. Chanyeol is looking at him, eyes and mouth wide open in shock.

 

“You didn’t even use a calculator.” There’s a hint of accusation in Chanyeol’s tone that feeds Baekhyuns ego.

 

“I didn’t have to.” Baekhyun passes Chanyeol a soft smile. This is the first time, in the short period they have known each other that Baekhyun has caught Chanyeol, a man who is always brimming with confidence, off guard. The flabbergasted look on Chanyeol’s face makes Baekhyuns heart drum harder. Unable to process anything Chanyeol decides to change the topic of conversation.

 

“Here’s your final test paper I guess,” Chanyeol gets up and leaves the room, which isn’t anything unusual he does this every time he hands Baekhyun a test paper so that he wouldn’t feel stressed under Chanyeol’s gaze. But today, Baekhyun finds Chanyeol’s rushed exit a little odd. If Baekhyun knows any better, he would think that there was a hint of dejection in Chanyeol’s voice.

 

He casts a rather weary look at the piece of paper in front of him. He lightly taps his pen against the table, an idea pops in his head. He brings the paper closer to him and flips the pages till he gets to the last one. He clicks his pen and presses it on the paper.  When he’s done, he lets out a satisfied sigh. Now, all else depends on how generous the universe is willing to be towards him.

 

When Chanyeol comes back, he looks frazzled but Baekhyun doesn’t comment on it. Instead he sits patiently with his bag on his lap and a hand inside it. Chanyeol mumbles out an apology for taking too long but Baekhyun can’t ever imagine being upset at Chanyeol when he’s in a state like this.

 

Chanyeol, once seated, smiles at him. Baekhyun carefully watches him lift up the paper from the table and analyze its contents. Chanyeol flips the first page, the answer section is blank. He stares at the blank page for a second then look at Baekhyun, who only urges him to proceed with the motion of his hands. Chanyeol scrunches his face confusion when he finds the next three pages blank as well.

 

Baekhyun’s hands start to shake when Chanyeol gets to the last page, he can’t decipher the look on Chanyeol’s face but he will go through with this regardless of the outcome.

 

“The return period of Project A is shorter than Project B and that’s why you should go out with me.”

Chanyeol reads it out loud, he chuckles.  When Chanyeol removes the paper from in front of his face his eyes meet a sight that makes adoration run through his veins. A very nervous Baekhyun, who is visibly shaking, is holding out a red zinnia.

 

“Please,” Baekhyun says with hope imminent in his voice.

 

Chanyeol reaches across the table and takes the flower from Baekhyun, separating it from its root and places it above his ear. He rests his face between his hands.

 

“I would be honored.”

 

Baekhyun doesn’t know what force of the universe prompted his actions but a second later he’s in Chanyeol’s lap showering him with affection he has withheld for over seven months. When they pull apart, Chanyeol tucks Baekhyuns hair behind his ear. Their faces are still close, close enough for Baekhyun to feel Chanyeol’s breath on his cheeks when he speaks.

 

“What took you so long?” Chanyeol whispers.

 

“I thought you weren’t interested in me.” Baekhyun murmurs.

 

Chanyeol caresses Baekhyuns cheek, “As if anyone could ever resist you. I fell for you when you asked me to pass you a bottle of orange juice at a frat party.”

 

Baekhyun connects his forehead with Chanyeol’s. “Me too.” Baekhyun whispers.

 

They stay there for a while, bodies and hearts interlocked, comfortable in each other’s touch.


End file.
